Pages

Monday, October 29, 2012

Spelling Update

I have used Spelling City for a couple of years. I used only the free version until this year. I think there were enough options available on the free version to satisfy most students.

This year I decided to take the plunge and buy a subscription to Spelling City because I have three spelling groups, a below grade, at grade, and an advanced group. The subscription helps me track assignments and tests.

The only bad part is that I give Challenge words that add to the score, but don't penalize students that miss them. The scoring on the site wasn't working to my satisfaction, so I have students take the spelling test online, print it, and then add the challenge words. I just look over the challenge words when I go to record scores. I love that I don't have to decipher illegible writing. Most of the grading is done for me. Students like the game format for studying words. Parents like it, too. I think the cost ($49.99) for a classroom of twenty-five students is worth it. Keep your eye open, as they offered a sale in August this year, for 33% off.

I also decided to alter my spelling contract to reflect the additional Spelling City activities for students. I am including it for any that are interested.

1 comment:

Spelling City is a great program for students and aligning it with a spelling contract are a great way to develop individual study skills. What I found effective with Spelling City would be a long term school list of words that can be use to play "Spelling Baseball." This game allow students to review weekly spelling words by way of competing with their classmates. Students are divided into equal teams (2). One team lines up first and the teacher recites each word. If spelled correctly, the students goes to first base (assigned in the classroom). The next students spells the next word and then the first base students walks to second base, This continues until a students returns to home base (point).If someone spells a word incorrectly (strike). You know it is three strikes in baseball! Now the team is OUT. Next team plays!